next year without let up, Land Transportation Office (LTO)-9 Regional
Director Aminola Abaton said last week.
This means that there will be strict enforcement of laws governing the
use of helmets, early warning device and the mandatory use of seat
belts as well as impounding of colorum vehicles and fly-by-night
PUJs—those without franchise.
Abaton adds this campaign was not fully set straight by LTO for this
year because they had to prioritize first the education and training
of their personnel and other LTO-deputized members of the PNP and
local and provincial traffic enforcers' auxiliary units.
This paper also learned that the Presidential Anti Colorum and Kotong
Task Force (PACKTAF), headed by Usec. Roy Quiamco, have already
started their operations in Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay and
Pagadian City early this month.
The PACKTAF employs selected LTO, DOTC, HPG, AFP and PNP elements who
will go after illegal practices such as colorum operations and
mulcting.
Last May, PACKTAF's national campaign has led to the arrest of 63 PNP
personnel who have been involved with these violations and 79 other
individuals from the LTO, LTFRB and various LGUs for extortion and
other related crimes.
"When operations on road safety policies will be implemented in
Zambosur, the driving public, commuters and motorists will not anymore
worry because they have been informed and educated already," Abaton
assured.
He added that they will still set up LTO checkpoints at strategic
areas on the highways around Zambonaga Peninsula and a team of
road-safety personnel will be posted on an 8-hour period to ensure
that colorum vehicles, those without warning devices and registrations
are intercepted and impounded.
The LTO is now implementing quality management system to comply with
international standards of issuing drivers' licenses.
A latest statistic obtained by this paper showed that LTO-9's revenue
collection for 2008 totaled 204,560,063, surpassing their target of
184,840,000.
REPORT BY JONG CADION